The Inside Line: Job outlook improves for Newman with Indy win

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Ryan Newman is searching for a ride in the
Sprint Cup Series in 2014, but after winning Sunday's Brickyard 400 at
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he's probably the No. 1 free agent right now.

A few weeks after receiving a phone call from team owner and longtime friend
Tony Stewart, informing him that he would not be back with Stewart-Haas Racing
next year, Newman not only won a Sprint Cup race in his home state of Indiana
but scored a victory in one of the series' most prestigious events of the
season as well. He won the 2008 Daytona 500 during his final year with Penske
Racing.

Newman, who grew up about 150 miles north of this historic 2.5-mile racetrack
in South Bend, capitalized on a late-race pit strategy, changing just two
tires, and outran Jimmie Johnson in the closing laps to win the Brickyard 400
for the first time in his 13th attempt. Johnson made a four-tire change during
his last stop, which would cost him a shot at winning the Brickyard 400 for
the fifth time and therefore place him in a tie with Formula One legend
Michael Schumacher for most victories at Indy.

Even though this year's Brickyard 400 was truly a Sunday afternoon snoozer in
front of a dismal crowd, this was a much-needed win for Newman in his hopes of
making the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. It also helped his efforts
in finding a ride for next season.

Two weeks before Indy, frustration set in for Newman when he finished 39th at
New Hampshire and dropped from 16th to 19th in the point standings. He was
involved in a late-race crash with Kurt Busch. Kurt's younger brother, Kyle
Busch, later bashed Newman, saying he was "the biggest stupid idiot out here
and a big ogre."

Newman redeemed himself at Indy, where he snapped a 49-race winless streak and
moved back to 16th in points.

"I think obviously it helps," Newman said. "The emotions have been an absolute
roller coaster. Loudon (N.H.) was a disaster. We got crashed out, everything
that was said. We got through all that stuff. Talked about it.

"That weekend off I think was good timing, to be able to hit control, alt,
delete. (Crew chief) Matt (Borland) did an amazing job to come here with a
fast race car, give me what I needed. We all did it together. Not the guys
just here, but the guys at the shop, the pit crew. You all know it's a huge
team sport. It makes it better looking for something for 2014, also for Matt.
There's a lot of questions to be answered. We'll get through all that."

Kevin Harvick is leaving Richard Childress Racing at season's end to join SHR,
driving the No. 4 Chevrolet. Harvick will be teammates with Stewart and Danica
Patrick. Stewart revealed at New Hampshire that his team will not expand to a
four-car operation next year, which made Newman the odd man out.

For now, the win gave Newman, Borland and the No. 39 team a lot of momentum
with six races to go before the Chase begins. Newman is currently third in the
wild card rankings. Stewart and Martin Truex Jr. hold the two wild cards, with
both drivers having one victory each as well.

"We were making for a special time to make all this stuff happen," Newman
said. "I got fired a couple weeks ago, come back here, win the pole, win the
race. It's all because of hard effort. It's all because they (No. 39 team)
haven't given up. They want to win just as bad as I do."

Borland served as Newman's crew chief for five years at Penske. They won 12
races and 37 poles together. The two were reunited at the beginning of this
season.

Will Borland join Newman wherever he goes in '14?

"At this point I'm not sure what next year is going to bring," Borland said.
"Right now, 100 percent of my focus and our whole team's focus is on doing as
best we can in these next six races and the next 16 (races remaining this
season)."

If for some reason they don't work together in the future, Newman has thought
of a plan for the both of them down the road.

"Going to open up a fruit stand in Statesville (N.C.) if anybody is
interested," Newman jokingly said during his post-race press conference.

Borland asked, "Do I get to drive the tractor?"

Newman replied, "You get to drive the tractor. You also get to change the oil
in the tractor."